Please feel free to share your responses to our journaling prompts here. Share all or a portion, or even about another technique or prompt that has been helpful to you in your grief journey.
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YOUR GRIEF SHAPE:
If your grief had a shape, what would it be? What about a color? A texture? See what other characteristics come to mind as you imagine your grief taking a physical form. Why do you think these characteristics came to your mind's eye? What do they represent?
A SINGULAR ATTRIBUTE:
Think about your loved one. What is the first physical characteristic that comes to mind? Maybe it's the way their eyes crinkled when they smiled, or their hands, or the look on their face when they were concentrating on something. Take a minute to really focus on that image, and allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up. Now write about that image in as much detail as possible, and list the specific emotions attached to it.
TRIGGERS:
In the whirlwind of emotions we have after a loss we can easily be triggered by anything small. In the beginning it can be almost anything. That flood of emotions comes at you unexpectedly, like a massive wave you didn’t see coming. It flattens you in an instant, and can make you feel out of control - especially if you are in public. With time it starts to show you a more concise pattern, and it becomes more clear which exact things trigger our grief.
What things trigger your grief? What are the feelings or responses you have? Brainstorm some ways to “get through” these mini storms.
WHO AM I NOW?:
"Who am I now?" This is a thought that many of us have. You may feel like merely a shadow of your former self. Sometimes it’s because you were a caregiver: you spent the majority of your day caring for your loved one. Maybe this thought comes because you lost your spouse, or your child. Are you still a husband, or a wife, or a parent, without them? Or maybe this thought comes for a different set of circumstances. Whichever way, it’s a pesky, aching thought that can affect us in so many ways. Reclaiming your identity starts small; it is a process of getting know yourself all over again.
Think about who you were before your loss. What were/are some of your interests or hobbies? What is an activity that you would like to get back into? What activity makes you feel most like your original or best self?
FROM THE BEGINNING:
Take a few minutes to locate your earliest memory of your loved one. Perhaps you even remember the first time you saw them. Recall as many details as possible; use all five senses, if you can. What feelings come up as your write about this memory? Are any other thoughts or memories sparked?
THE BAG OF ROCKS:
When high levels of stress (like grief) shift us into a crisis mindset, tasks of daily life become much more difficult. We shift from function to survival, and basic needs are often where we must focus our energy and time..
Visualize your stressors as rocks in a bag that are weighing you down. Dump out the bag and begin identifying the rocks—what is weighing on you? Are these things that are within your control/changeable or outside of your control/unchangeable? If something is in your control, what steps might you identify to change it? These are rocks that you don't have to put back into your bag. If something is not changeable, can you identify anything that might help you to better cope with it, so that your bag feels lighter and easier to carry?